Except My Love For You
by california2015
Summary: He craved her, every inch and she had been made for him from the very beginning. She had finally come to him, forced by the awakening of a internal bomb implanted when she was only a child to call her to him. She was His and he would make sure everyone knew.
1. Chapter 1

_Sign the letter Hermione come on focus._

She patted down her curly mane that was drenched in sweat, her eyes twitched and she jumped at every small noise.

 _Hurry up before they wake up._

Hermione laid the note on the table next to her cot and she walked out of the tent. Her labored breathing causing her paranoia to only become worse making her stumble across branches and fall down the hill. She felt small cuts all across her bare skin. The nauseating feeling in her stomach carried on and she let out a sob of frustration and slammed her hand against the cold dirt ground.

 _Just get up, pull out your wand and do the spell_

She was being so stupid, she was magical! Why had she not just performed the spell in the first place.

 _But what if it had woken the boys? Come on Hermione get yourself together._

Hermione wiped off her face and stood herself up. She crushed off the dirt of her old torn jeans took out her wand and apparated to a specific manor. A manor that should have thrown her out before she could even touch ground but instead let her right in.

ooOoo

Hermione laid on the cold manor floors with Voldemort circling around her, swells of fear were crashing into her but she couldn't find it in her to focus on that. Her mind was no longer held on her aching that lead her to this home in a dizzy fit. She no longer felt drugged or paranoid and that was all that mattered.

The only thing going through her mind at that moment was the beauty of the ray of light coming from the chandelier above her. As odd as that may sound she couldn't find it in her to look at her killer, so she found something else to stare at. God did she hate being in this position, she felt so weak and not at all true to her Gryffindor pride. So she just laid there, her chest heaving from the painful gasps for air as she waited to die. The cruciatus curse was not given enough credit. What was taking him so long? It was just so cruel leaving her there to await the painful sting of the curse. Would it sting though? Or on the off chance would it be peaceful? The sounds of his pacing stopped and Hermione took in a soft gasp of air clinching her eyes shut.

"I'm not going to kill you." The words hung in the air piercing Hermione's glazed over mind.

"Pardon?" She squeaked out opening on eye.

"I said I'm not going to kill you."

"What? Why not?" She asked. "Not that I'm not grateful but it just-"

"Do you honestly think you would be in the right to ask me anything? You need to remember you are irrelevant and will remain so. Close your mouth it's very unbecoming." She clinched her jaw shut and shot a glare at him. "I imagine you dear friend Harry would prefer to have his mud blood by his side."

"He won't come." She said immediately. Voldemort scoffed, his eyes flashing a bright crimson.

"Harry Potter wouldn't let his best friend die."

"They won't let him, the Order will know it's a stupid and Ill-conceived trap."

"Crucio." He hissed his wand directed towards the now shriveling girl. His lips turned up at the corner as he watched her cry out in pain. She was everything he had been waiting for and he had been waiting for so long. Now look at her. She had finally come to him. She was sharp-tongued, he liked that but the girl would have to be broken. He let off the curse and again watched as she struggled to maintain her strong facade.

"You're insane." She spat. He could not help the chuckle that escaped from him at her petty words.

"Insanity it is then, at least I am capable of getting what needs to be done, done. Your Order has failed countless times to achieve their goals and they still come up empty handed. Tell me, when have they ever once accomplished something important?" Hermione sat herself up chewing on her lip. She couldn't tell him about the horcrox's

"The prophecy, we destroyed it before you got it."

"Please dear girl, find something I cared about! I knew the stupid prophecy before any of you daft imbeciles even knew it existed. Did you think I had not known of what I had created that night? I'll admit I was surprised at first but I recognized what mistake I had made but then I thought. A human is far from expected, no one will guess to look there and what do you know? He goes by unnoticed."

"B-but what about all the attempts on his life?" Hermione sputtered her body aching in pain.

"I do want him dead, only because he is going against me and my plans. That is something I cannot have." Voldemort shrugged waving it away. "Now, you will stay at my manor, I will not keep you in this...place. I know how much you long to be with me." He reached down and yanked her arm, pulling her off the floor and cutting off any long winded speech Hermione might have had ready. Exhaustion was raging through her as she battled to stand on her feet; she had already lost so much blood.

 _What did he say? Did-could he know about the strange feelings? Was he the reason?_

"You will be fed and given a place to sleep and you will diminish all thoughts of escape." He clasped his pale white hand onto her wrist and she felt a cold metal ring cling to her skin. She jumped back but his grip was stronger and she could not pull away no matter how hard she fought.

 _No he couldn't have. I am not that important._

"What did you do?"

"Now Miss Granger if you don't mind please shut your mouth." He grinned wrapping an arm around her waist and apparating both of them away. 

When Hermione placed her feet on solid ground again she found her weakened body clinging to him for balance. She looked up to find him sneering at her. He gripped her arm again and began pulling her down a dark corridor. Hermione took in all of her surroundings and found herself surprised by what she saw. It wasn't all dark and gloomy like she had expected. It was big and lighted, with colors more than just green and silver. It was then that Hermione had wished she had been paying attention to her pathway because at that moment she felt her self being shoved into sharp wooden table. Hissing in pain she held her hand to her ribs and turned herself around to glare at him.

"You will stay here for a short time tonight. Perhaps you should, for the time being, look into immortality linkage to potions if you, in fact, have such a need to help your precious Order. I have something that is need of my intention at the moment and you are not a top priority. If you need anything, touch your bracelet and someone will come." Hermione felt a shiver down her spine at his words, 'someone will come', who would that someone be? She swallowed her fears nodded and watched as he vanished in that wispy black smoke of his. She turned around and took in the room she had been placed in, she was taken back.  
"Oh my god." She gasped her eyes widening. Rows and rows of book cases filled this area; it was bigger than Hogwarts library! Hermione let out a soft giggle and she ran down the pathway between two of the largest shelves she had ever glanced upon. Her fingers grazed upon the spines of the book as she took in her newest oasis. That's when she halted _._

 _Immortality linkage to potions?_

Why was he giving her clues to help Harry if he was attempting to become immortal? She tried thinking on the brighter side of things, if there was one, at least she wouldn't be helping him. Then she thought about how she was, after all reading with the intentions to help Harry but if she found a way to help he could use that against them.

A thick layer of guilt and self-hatred fell upon her. She had been so stupid to go alone last night! What had come over her, why was she feeling such a way? The boys wouldn't survive two days without her! She began panicking, searching the room for some kind of escape. She ran as fast as she could to each wall searching for an exit, all she found was a small window. She threw it open and looked out; below the window was a pretty long drop into a frothy ocean.

Where the hell was she?! Hermione looked around her then back out the window, it would be irrational of her to jump but she also didn't want to stay here she knew she was going to die anyway, why not now? Then again she would be of no help to her friends if she did do this, and there would be no promise of finding a way to land so she could escape. She let out a defeated sigh and turned back to the shelves. The more promising option was to stay here. She would indeed end up helping him no matter the information she looked at, however, she didn't have to efficiently help him. She couldn't give him the wrong information because he was a smart man and he wouldn't take that but she could slow him down. Grinning ear to ear with her new plan she made her way to the stacks. 

Hermione had of course found several keys to his answer by her own curiosity; however she was not going to tell him a thing.  
"Good evening." Her head jerked up to meet his red eyes.

"Back so soon?" She joked slamming the book she held in her hand shut.

"Quite the attitude you have." He said with a sly smirk on his pale lips.

"Here to torture me some more?" Voldemort raised a brow at her and stepped closer. Hermione jumped a bit at his movement and she cursed herself for giving up her strength.

"Oh please dear if you're going to fake strength at least try to...maintain appearances." Hermione's cheeks began to burn. "Tell me did you find anything." It was Hermione's turn to throw a smirk out.

"No I haven't."

"Really now? The brightest witch of her age cannot find a simple linkage? Now that I find a bit hard to believe." He had closed in on her now and she had started to tremble. "Pathetic." Her eyes narrowed.

"I am not pathetic, if anything you are! An old man looking for a way to live forever. That's pathetic." She could see his face twitch in anger. Great now she'd done it. She clinched her eyes shut tight waiting for the pain.

"I'm not going to hurt you, I like you. You at least manage to get out what your insult is before cowering in fear. I suppose you do have some kind of bravery in there after all considering how quickly I could kill you." Hermione gasped and stumbled back hitting against the shelf behind her. "Maybe I have misspoken about the courage?" Hermione lowered her eyes to the floor as he ran his hand across her bruised cheek.

Oh how Voldemort loved the feel of her porcelain skin beneath his hand and he loved every second of it. He felt an overwhelming sense of pride to have her back in his arms; it was all he had worked for. Hermione and the magical world at his reach.

"You disgust me." She pushed out.

"Crucio." He whispered looking into her beautiful brown eyes. He held her still as she screamed and hissed in pain, taking in the howls of pain in pleasure. That was until she bit her lip and held in her screams. He brought a sharp gaze upon her and slammed her against the shelves trying to force her to release her hold on her lip. Instead she bit down harder blood dripping down her chin. Voldemort dropped her to the ground withdrawing his curse.

"Why?" He heard her whimper.

"Why what!"

"Why won't you just kill me?! There are plenty of others, many more wiser than I am! There is no need to keep me!" She cried wiping the blood and tears from her face. He took a second to ponder her words and then looked back down at the girl.

"Let's just say you intrigue me." He said with a sharp grin. He was obsessed with the girl not just intrigued but he was in love with the equivocation so he would continue with his games.

"What?" She stammered her fingers wrapping around the wood of the shelves trying to lift herself.

"I do not like to repeat myself girl. Now tell me what it is you've learned."

"I told you already."

"Yes however I know for a fact that's not true." Hermione shivered as he moved around her shoving her forward so he could circle her. She hated how he moved, it was like a snake slithering around its prey.

"Seeing how supposedly brilliant you are, I'm sure you already know the answer. My input in your own research is just so you can get a chuckle." Voldemort grinned at her words. _Such confidence_ he thought running his eyes down her frame. _Beautiful._

He could see her fight a grimace as she shifted in her firm stance. "Tell me miss Granger, why is it you left your two friends in the woods alone? What did you hope to accomplish by coming to the Malfoy's?"

"I'm sure you already know that, I don't see the reason in asking." She snapped.

"I'd rather truths be admitted out loud." He stopped circling meeting her eye to eye. "Did you think Draco would help you? Did you believe giving yourself up would keep us from finding your friends?" He saw her lip quiver.

"Know this Miss Granger, your stupid friends will never be safe and i know where they are."

"...Then why haven't you taken us yet?" She croaked.

"I have not found the reason to waste my time on you. What you're doing is meaningless to me." Hermione's brows furrowed.

"You have no idea what you're talking about."

"So you would think!" He laughed moving away from her allowing her to relax. "I can't believe you thought I would leave such valuable items just lying about for little annoying children to find and destroy!"

"But-"

"But what little girl?! Have your plans gone wrong now? Did you hope for something different? Did you think you and your friends would live happily ever after?" He mocked. "Well guess what, this is reality and the reality is You. Don't. Win!" Hermione chewed on the inside of her cheek as he spat his cruel words at her. It was becoming clearer and clearer that everything they had been told was all lies, all a clever disguise to what lay at hand. How had they not put it together? How had she not put it together?! It all made sense! He was way too clever to leave such items of importance lying about and she had missed that. "Putting it together are we?" She shook her head.

"We should have realized..."

"Yes indeed, but all is forgiven. After all I do have a very wise witch in my hands now despite your thoughtless past you are wise and very useful." He paused and closed in on her again. "You have wasted the days light and I'm sure you are close to unconsciousness seeing as you spent half of this day being gutted with a knife and tortured with unforgivables. Follow me and I will take you to your room." Hermione stubborn though she may be, decided it was a bad idea to keep him waiting considering her condition, the ache becoming more noticeable with his mentioning. 


	2. Chapter 2

I own nothing

"You will stay in here until someone comes to take you somewhere. You will only leave when given my permission, if the person who comes to get you does not have my permission you will not be able to leave." Hermione's heart fell at his words, she knew Harry and Ron would arrive at this manor at some point to look for her and they'd try to get her to leave. She knew that when she couldn't, they wouldn't leave and they would be caught and tortured too. "Have a good night Miss Granger." He laughed exiting the room. The facial expression he left on was going to give her nightmares she just knew it. Ugh! This had all become disastrous; she wished she had her wand or at least her time turner. Confiscated. All of it, but what had she expected? The least they could have done was given her a bathroom.

With a loud sigh Hermione hit the mattress given to her, oh it was so soft. She found herself wrapping up in the silk sheets trying to find comfort she longed for in this very bad situation. Her body ached with an unreasonably large amount of pain and she could not yet bare to look at what her arm could possibly look like. Everything had been numb; everything was numb until this moment. This moment when all the silence was just too heavy to bare and the pain soaked into her skin. She longed for Ron's silly actions and Harry's awkward personality to cheer her up, however that was not available. Despite the creaks and shadows that were echoing around the manor Hermione managed to fall into slumber to dream about the horrors that might occur in this place, but she slept nonetheless.

Hermione woke to the feeling of white hot daggers piercing her skin. She knew what was happening and she silenced her screams, whoever it was would not have the satisfactions of her cries.  
"You're a strong young woman now aren't you?" A voice hissed releasing the curse. Hermione brought herself up to see the person and when she took him in she saw a well-dressed, arrogant as always Lucius Malfoy.

"Morning." She grounded out trying to catch her breath.

"I do believe the last time I saw you, you were nearing death on my living room floors. Oh how far you've come from then, sleeping on silk sheets. Spread your legs already?" Hermione's eyes widened and she jumped from the bed her muscles howling in pain.

"I would never!" She shrieked.

"Of course you wouldn't." He sneered.

"Why are you here?"

"He wishes to see you, follow." He spat looking her over. Hermione stumbled after him brushing her bushy hair out of her face. No one, not a single soul, could deny she needed a shower above all things.

-

Lucius shoved open two giant wooden doors to show a giant unrecognizable room, and in the front on a giant throne sat Him. Even in her thoughts he was mentioned in such disdain. He disgusted her, yet at the same thought he was intriguing but to continue on that pathway of thought would be to commit moral treason. The nausea that had begun to build since she was woken was finally fading as soon as she looked at his eyes. Eyes that knew so much more than anyone gave him credit for.

"Come here girl." Voldemort demanded. Hermione stumbled foreword and tried to carry herself with the little dignity she had remaining her body pleading in pain. Covered in dirt and her own blood, hair sticking to her skin and smelling of sweat she stood in front of him head high. "Today you will be showing me what it is that you can manage in defending yourself. You see I am in need of entertainment and my death eaters have not gotten back with what I usually entertain myself with. You are suitable replacement." Hermione fought her surprised reaction but was sure he had noticed it. "Dolohov, Greyback."

Hermione's heart raced; there was no coming back from this fight. Voldemort threw her the wand she had been separated from and she began to panic as the two men circled her. He needed to see if she was capable of what he had dreamed of.

Hermione on the other hand was panicking. She was going to die; this is how he was going to rid himself of her.

"Well step up girl, draw your wand and bow. Its proper manners, I do not doubt they taught you that." Hermione took in a deep breath and gripped tightly on her wand; she took a slight bow and readied herself.

"So this is it…" She whispered. The two men gave sly grins and in seconds began firing spells at her. Hermione used her powerful shields to protect herself and in the corner of her eye she could see Voldemort was growing impatient.

"Enough defending, fight!" He tore down her shield leaving Hermione to be struck with a painful slicing hex in the side. She hissed in pain and threw one back. The more curses thrown her way the more rage built up inside her. It was all just an exciting rise until she threw one back that no one would have expected from her.

Greyback exploded.

Dolohov stumbled back in utter shock. Hermione dropped her wand, gasping she backed away looking frantically at Voldemort and back to the blood spattered floors.

"Clear the room!" He yelled rising from his throne.

"I-i" she stuttered as he came gliding towards her.

"My, my Hermione, what talents have you been hiding?" He hissed as his Death eaters scurried from the room. Hermione squinted and looked closer at Voldemort. Instead of anger and promises of murder, she saw curiosity and a yearning for power. Why did that not surprise her? I mean what could really be expected from a murderous lunatic who wanted to take over the world? She sneered in utter disgust and backed away trying to put as much distance between herself and Voldemort as possible, he only steeped closer. "Murderer." He said a smile forming on his lips.

"I was defending myself because of your stupid little game!" she yelled, it didn't matter what she said in her defense she still took a life. Harry would be so disappointed in her. Ha! Forget disappointed, Harry would be disgusted with her.

"I doubt that fact would have really made a difference in the end. I could see it in your eyes, when you took his life you enjoyed it."

"I didn't-"

"Lying will get you nowhere Hermione, it is best you stop now." He said turning away from her.

"I'm not lying!" She yelled throwing a silent stupefy at his back, however he was faster.

"You filthy little mudblood, that's a cheap, pathetic, and cowardice shot on your part. Some Gryffindor you are." Hermione stared at him in shock, how dare he? Him, of all people?

"You are the last person in the world who would ever have the right to insult my actions!" Voldemort slapped her, he slapped her as hard as he could. It threw her head back and left them both in shock. It was the most muggle response in the world coming from the man who despised all things muggle. She couldn't help the smirk that fell across her lips. A little part of her was cheering inside, feeling as though she had won some unspoken war. "Muggle." His eyes flashed a dark red and he snatched the wand from her fingers.

"You are lucky that I let you even live, that I even give you a wand, and yet you stand here insulting me? The one man that could take it all away from you?" He said digging the tip of the wand into her neck.

"Kill me! Please, I don't want to be here! Don't you get that? You'll be doing us all a favor, because I know that you do not want me here and I'm not going to give you any information so you might as well put me out of my misery." She yelled pushing it further into her skin. "Go on, what are you waiting for you've done it a million times!" Hermione could see the hesitation in his eyes but she just couldn't understand why. "I'm just some stupid mudblood, the epitome of everything you hate. So come on Tom just say the words, two words."

"Do not use that name!" He said. "However much I would like to, I cannot kill you."

"WHY?" She yelled shoving him away.

"Because you're of importance to the plans-"

"There are no plans! Just admit it already and tell me the truth!" Voldemort pulled the wand back up and all she felt was a white hot pain. Hermione fell to her knees, she was trying to hold it in as much as she could but that didn't stop the fact that it hurt more than she could actually handle.

"You do not deserve to know, do not act like you are above me or anyone in this manor. Even the house elf is above you, you are nothing." He hissed holding the curse longer. Hermione tried her best to hold in her screams but as she withered on the floor she could not help the few shrieks that escaped her lips.

Voldemort had plans for Hermione, he wanted to keep her, he wanted to fuck her. She was raised for him, her life was planned out from the beginning. Now the poor thing was lying on her back twitching from being brought so close to the edge of insanity. He could have slipped and held it a little longer giving her the shove it required but that would mean losing his Hermione. He let a smirk fall across his lips and he walked from the room.

He left her laying on the cold floor her body burning from the dying out pain from the crucio. Hermione pulled herself up, her body fighting her move.

"Granger?" Hermione's eyes snapped up to see Draco staring back.

"Yes Ferret?" She said achieving the task of standing up straight.

"Why are you...?"

"Still alive?" She said finishing his statement. "Why don't you ask Him, he surely won't tell me?" Hermione's legs shook with protest and to her embarrassment she fell onto Draco causing him to stumble back almost colliding with the hard floors. The pain sent shocks through her body, causing her to go into shock.

"Easy there Granger, what happened to you?" He chuckled pulling her up right. "Granger?" he asked feeling her body tightening and seeing her eyes roll back she began convulsing. "Shit. Petrificus Totalus." Hermione's body stiffened immediately, he grudgingly picked up the frozen body and ran to the floo.

"Snape!" Draco yelled landing in a living room piled with books and smelling of herbs.

"What the bloody-Draco?" Severus said charging into the room wand ready. "Why do you have Miss Granger with you and why is she not moving?"

"I found her in our Lord's favorite room, besides the library." Draco explained watching as understanding hit Severus' eyes. "She was lying in the floor when I found her, she tried to stand and she fell and began shaking."

"So you froze her?!" He yelled moving faster than Draco had ever seen to pick Granger up and run to another room. Draco followed in quick pursuit of his godfather. Severus laid the girl on his own bed and moved to grab some vials of a nearby shelf, reading the labels out loud as he went. "Let us pray you got to me fast enough."

Draco nodded, fear pulsating through him as he watched Severus grip her head tight and force the liquid down her throat. He thought Severus was finished when he turned to his desk and grabbed a syringe filling it with yet another potion. Severus took the syringe and shoved it into her chest through a tear in her ruined shirt.

"She has a very large wound on her right side it needs to be mended immediately before she bleeds out anymore." Severus muttered pulling out his wand. Draco watched as Severus tore open her shirt and the very evident hole in the girl's side hit his eyes. Severus sealed up the flesh with a quick pace and Draco felt his chest relax. When had he held his breath? "She will have an unfortunate scar there."

"Will she be alright?" Draco asked his voice a whisper.

"Do not pretend you suddenly care for the girl's wellbeing. You're doing this for the Dark Lord, to save your own ass." Severus said turning to Draco who let his eyes fall to the wooden floors. "Never do that again, she was holding all of that violent energy inside her body and it was doing internal damage. I have no idea how much and I will not know until she wakes up." Draco gave short nod and turned away from his godfather in shame and focused more on the girl lying in the bed. She looked awful; she had taken one beating after another and was only getting worse. His disgust for her heritage be damned she was struggling and she had no one. Where the hell was Potter anyway?

"I-I want to help her." Draco said stopping Severus as he walked out of the room.

"Since when?" Severus spat refusing to look at Draco.

"Since I decided to bring her to you and not some room in a manor." Draco said pleading with Severus.

"If you really want to help, you take her away from _our lord_ as soon as she's fit for it."

"But." Draco stammered.

"But nothing, that girl is just as afraid as you are if not more and she is already braver than you. She may be the stupidest witch I have ever seen, going to your home on her own however her intentions were pure and may have given her side a better chance. What have you done with the thought of what is right?" Severus said with a final statement before leaving Draco with a sleeping Hermione.

Hermione's ears were ringing when a white light blinded her causing an involuntary groan to leave her lips.

"Granger?" an all too familiar voice asked. Hermione tried to move her head but a fierce sting halted her actions. "Don't try to move yet, you're still fresh off the curse."

"Malfoy?" she asked holding her body still.

"Yes, it's me, try to stay relaxed." Hermione took a deep breath and relaxed her muscles.

"Where are we? How long has it been?" she asked keeping her eyes on the white ceiling.

"We are in a nice house at Spinner's End and it has been two whole days since I found you that afternoon. " Draco said placing a hand on her own.

"Severus' house?" Hermione asked surprised by the feeling of his hand.

"How do you know where Professor Snape lives?" Draco said with a chuckle.

"I suppose the same way you know." Hermione said gripping onto his fingers with what felt like a iron grip but in reality, to Draco it was a small squeeze. That small squeeze helped his decision on what the right thing was. He would do whatever it took to get her out.

Draco stayed by Hermione's side all night long; letting her know when things changed and what was going on whenever she needed. When she was sleeping he ventured to the sitting room to check on Severus who was reading newspapers or books while drinking tea or fire whiskey.

"Taking care of her now?" Severus asked taking a gulp of his whiskey.

"Of course, I don't understand why you always doubt me." Draco said sitting down next to the potions professor. "I am so exhausted and she really needs a bath. Scourgify only works so to a certain point."

"I'm sure in say two or three days she should be able to walk and that will leave room for a shower. Why has the Dark Lord not asked for her or you?"

"He told me when he left to watch after her, he never specified where to watch her or in what condition she needed to be in. All he knows is she's in my care."

"Well, let us hope it does not come down to him paying us a visit." Severus said turning his attention back on his book.

"Draco!" Hermione yelled from the other room. Severus smirked from behind his pages and Draco made his way to the room.

"Yes, Granger?" Draco asked peeking into the room.

"Where is Lord-."

"He's at his home and should not be here any time soon." Draco promised. He watched as the girl's lips formed a small smile. "You're safe from him; however, you are not safe from body odor."

"Oh goodness, I am sure I look horrid. I deeply apologize for my appearance, I'm sure it's not what you're used to seeing a lady look like."

"Nothing is what I'm used to anymore Hermione. No more balls, no more tea parties, etc. etc."

"I'm sorry all of this is happening but…there's one thing I don't understand. Why did you pick this side?"

"I didn't pick this side, my family did and as a part of that and all of their mistakes I have to step in or they will be killed." Draco said sitting in his stationed chair beside the bed. "Not everyone who's a death eater is bad; we have some really good men. The only difference is they are blinded by fear."

"Do they not realize that we would help them?" Hermione asked him.

"They can't risk being seen in communication with one of you, they could lose their family."

"This war…is horrible…" Draco nodded in agreement.

"Why have your two boys not come to get you yet?"

"My boys believe that I am dead." Hermione explained her voice cracking a little. Draco's eye brows raised in shock. "Ease my conscious Draco? Why are you being so nice to me?"

"I am helping you because you need it, if you haven't noticed you're an absolute mess and I will help you with whatever you need including getting out of here and getting you back to your boys."

"Thank you Draco for your kindness, I won't forget it." Draco felt a warm feeling in his chest; he never thought he would feel this way, definitely not towards Gra-Hermione.

"Are you okay?" He asked grabbing her hand.

"I'm just worried that the boys won't be able to get to where they need, they're smart do not get me wrong, it's just due to past experiences with my help things would without a doubt go much faster. I'm hoping they will be okay but I cannot get rid of this feeling that they could be in trouble." Hermione said feeling a tear roll down her cheek.

"Don't cry." He whispered reaching up and touching her cheek. "Why did you leave them if you knew they would require your help?"

"I figured I would buy them some extra time, we were too close to danger and we needed some kind of distraction. I left the notes and clues as to what they needed to do next, but that was before I knew the truth."

"Hermione that does not sound like the logical and most rational thing to do, what is happening to you?" Draco asked as he wiped away her tears and continued to hold her hand.

"It felt like the correct thing to do, they had what they needed with the information I gave them. I had this feeling that I needed to be there, in that house. It was an achy home sick feeling that subsides only when I am in the presence of Him." Draco's brows raised and he had an uneasy expression on his face.

"You may want to see someone about that." Draco said concern filling his voice.

"I know it makes me uneasy as well, it never leaves my mind. Draco, tell me has it occurred to you yet that there is this war where are friends and family are dying? I've never actually had the opportunity to just think about the fact that this is actually happening. Draco we have been fighting since we were eleven or twelve. Is this really our lives?"

"Unfortunately it is, I know it can't be everything you dreamed of. There are no endless trips to libraries and long lectures. It's definitely not what we planned but at the very least we still have our friends." Draco said rubbing the skin of her hand with the pad of his thumb.

"Thank you Draco, who knew you were such a good guy?" Hermione laughed.

"Don't tell anyone, no one can know. I have a reputation to keep up. Get some more rest now, I will see you when you wake up."

"Wakey wakey 'mione." Hermione let out a rather loud groan as she turned onto her side.

"Go away." She said fighting the soreness in her body.

"Come on its medicine time." Draco said walking the side she was facing.

"What? You're administering it? Where's Professor Snape?" She asked opening her sleep filled eyes. Draco gave nod with a small smile on his face shaking a vile and syringe that were in his hands.

"I have full permission and do not fear he has trained me."

"That does not stop the fear Draco and under no circumstance does it give me comfort." Hermione said sitting up.

"Oh shut it, hold out your arm."

"How long do I need to take these potions?" She asked unfolding her arm and holding it out.

"Maybe a few months, honestly Hermione I am so sorry for doing this to you. If I hadn't frozen you there would be no need for all of this. Now you need medication to stop reoccurring shocks for far too long. I deeply apologize for it all." Hermione gave a sad frown and touched his arm.

"You did what you thought was best Draco, there is no harm to it as long as you take good care of me." She said causing Draco to chuckle.

"Alright, take a deep breath." He said. Watching her intake he pushed the needle into her skin he released the potion into her body.

"Tell me I can take a shower now?" Hermione asked shaking off the sting.

"Well, only yesterday you couldn't move, are you sure that you're up for all that moving?"

"Tell me this one thing, would it be so horrible if you carried me and then maybe helped me with it all? I know this is a HUGE step in the trust department considering I'm not even sure if we are friends-."

"Don't think on it, I made my decision to help you while you were unconscious and I won't turn back on it now. I think after this-." Draco said removing the sheets and picking the girl up. "You better consider me your best friend." Hermione could not hold in the giggle despite the horrid pain that was racking through her.

"Thank you my new best friend."

Draco carried her all the way to the bathroom, filled the tub with bubbles, covered his eyes, and cast a spell to remove her torn clothing. Hermione forced her aching body into the tub while Draco was turned away and sunk beneath the bubbles.

"Oh merlin this feels amazing." She laughed rising up drenched in the warm water. "I will always love you for this moment right now." Draco turned to face her

"I'm glad you think so highly of me." He said blushing at her nudity.

"I suppose I should take off this bandage now, right?" She asked looking at her left forearm. "What exactly does it look like? Do you know how bad it is? I never really got the chance to stare at it or feel it besides my first and thanks to you only night in that place." Draco's eyes dropped to the brownish red bandage and felt nauseated, he had watched her carved up like a pumpkin and he had done nothing.

"I am so sorry-."

"Shut up and unwrap this nasty thing." She ordered splashing water onto the boy.

"Alright just give me a second." He said moving over. Draco grabbed the bandage and began unraveling it until it was off her arm. It was bloody, surrounded by bruises, and scabbed over but the words still stood out. "'Mione."

"It's not that bad, I thought it would be worse. Really the one on my side is much worse." Her voice was only a whisper now. " _Mud blood_ , it would seem that name will never leave my side."

"I'm so sorry." Draco said holding onto her hand once again.

"It's fine Draco, really. Think on the positive side." Hermione told him drawing her arm into the tub. "I'm still alive." Draco let out a scoff _barely,_ he thought. "Now why do you look so exhausted?"

"I have not gotten much sleep, Snape stays up far too much and you do as well." Draco said laughing at her as a tint of red flooded her cheeks. "Don't worry about it, I am happy to help." Hermione turned away from Draco and the two sat in silence for a while. The young witch shampooed her lengthening brown curls and ran a bar of soap over herself. She had never felt so overjoyed to be in a tub of water, never been so happy to in the company of Malfoy. As more time passed the bubbles wore away and once again Draco closed his eyes and lifted Hermione out of the tub letting her guide his movements to the clothes and towels where she wiped away the water and clothed herself.

"Thank you." Hermione said as Draco picked her up and walked her to the bed.

"Like I said Granger, I'm helping you from here on out."

"Alright helper, can you change these sheets?" Hermione asked turning her head just enough to see the dirt on them.

"Of course." He said with a wave of his wand the sheets were gone and with another wave some nice blue sheet s replaced them. Hermione gave him a curious look as he laid her down. "I learned how to do it at Hogwarts after parties got a little too wild."

"I see." Hermione said chewing on her lip. "Do I get breakfast yet?"

"I will go get some now." He said tucking her in and then disapparating away.

It was only a few short seconds later when Hermione heard another pop, eyes closed she spoke to Draco in surprise.

"There is no way you were that fast."

"That fast at what, Miss Granger?"


End file.
